Traffic signal or indicator



May 29, 1923.

A. c. FowLs TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR INDICATOR Filed March 27 1920 1 u YLyman...

AA. CZWMZ@ `Patented May 29, 1923.

'ra s if' TRAFFIC SIGNAL 0R INDICATOR.

Application led March 27, 1920. Serial No. 369,216.2.

To 'all lwhom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDREW C. Fowns, citizen of the United States,residing at New Philadelphia, in the countyy of rfuscai'awas and Stateof Ohio, .have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TrafficSignals or Indicators, of which the following is a specification,reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

`This invention relates to an improved `traffic signal 'or directionindicator vfor use in connection with automobiles and the like and anobject of theinvention is toprovide a device of this characterparticularly adapted for position on the side of the automobile in asuitable location adjacent the driving side and so as to not interferewith the opening and closing of the door, particularly vwhen usedbnclosed automobilesand designed to be manipulated so'as to indicatethefinten'tion of the chauffeur to make a turn.

Another object is to provide a suitable housing for )the traffic signal`or uindicator preferably carried by `the'side ofthe wind shield andmeans rotated on'the interior'of the body ofthe automobile forjoperatingthe signal or indicator. y v

l Still anotherV object embodies a traffic signal or indicator"comprisinga ytubular arm consisting of two united sections,y whereby ani electric bulb may be secured in the hand section which is providedwithan opening covered with suitable transparent material,

whereby. the-light from` the bulb "may beA readily seen, in combinationwith fo-r lighting the bulb. n y

A furtherfobje'ct involves improved means for actuating the traiicsignal or direction av circuit indicator, preferably carried by thesteering .columnl of the steering Lwheel and having a' wireor cableconnection with the indicator for moving `it to -av late-rally extendedposition., 5 A still further" obj ect is the provision of an actua-torwherein a lever is employedl for riding over a quadrant and havingcontactl means to cooperate with stationary contacts for closing-.anelectric circuit .for lighting the bulb and beingmeans to limit thelever 1nl its Vmovement from` one portion of the `quadrantfto the other,and means for pre- ,4

too much when" y y n n 1 tudinal ed e portion lopen 'as shown to. per`venting lifting the lever moving the saine. j l

While the design and construction at present illustrated and Set forthis deemed preff erable,fit' is vobvious that as a result of a reductionof the invention toI a more practicalform for commercial purposes,the'invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right toy y,thesechanges is claimed, pro-v 'vided ythey are compreliendedv within the.scope of what is claimed. l

The invention Icomprises 'further features andcombination of parts, aswill kbe hereinafter-set forth, `shownin the drawings 'and claimed. y yInfthedrawingst j Figure lisa viewof a pontion of a body of anautomobile showing. theV traffic signal or indicator'asf applied to-:theside of Athe jwind .shield 'and Ythe actuator as carried bythesteeringcolumn.

Figure 2 isy a ,verticalsectionall view vthrough thehousing or casingsho-wing the vtraflic signal or indicator in' its normal po-v sition inlfullflines, and extendedflaterally K in dotted lines. y -A i Figure Sisa plan-view of the yacti'i'ator as carried bythe steering column andshowing the actuatingv leverfor the indicator. Figure 4 is a-sectionalview throughthe contacts of the Segment and, theorerate" lever, andv,showing the. diagrammatic an rangement' o-f the wiring for the'lampAinthe indicatorhand.

f Figure 5 is a sectional View on lineof Figure 2.

Figure 6 isa sectional view'on lined-6 of Figure 2. i

Figure 7 isan enlargedv detail sectional view of a portion of the handof the indicator arm, showing the v'lamp therein andy illustratinghowthe lamp; and handY are .connected tothe arm. 1 Y

Referring more-especiallyto the drawings, l'designatesa housing, whichis provided with elongated loops or members 2 to engage over suitablehoo-ks?) which are carriedfby the side of the automobilepreferably ontheside of the windshield, sopas to supportthev lhousing or casing` inposition. VIt is ob'- yvious that the housing-or-casing /maybe' locatedon anyy otherpart of the body, l'suitable. to .permit thesignal orlndicator to be lseemparticularly*fromthefrear of the automobile.

.tangular information and has one-longi- The housing -or casing l'ispreferablyv` rec` mit the in icator or signa14 to be displayed.

Vgin of. the tubular extension 5C.

form of a tubular arm) comprises a' body sectionV 5 and a hand section6, wherein an electric light bulb 8 is located. The body section 5adjacentifwhere it connectsA to the hand section is provided with atransverse Wall 5a, from which a tubular extension 5C extends. Thistubular extension constitutes a lamp socket, in the bottom orF which acontact 5d is mounted. One side of the lead 14 connects with the contact5d, While the vother side of the lead 14 is grounded at 14? to the bodysection; The plug (which is provided with an annular flange or collar 9)of Vthe electric light bulb engages in the socket and connect-sl withthe ycontact 5d. The plug. of the bulb is in turn grounded to theI Wallof the socket in the usual manner, so as to complete the circuit throughthe bulb. In order to assemble the bulb and the hand section, the plugof the bulb is first inserted in the socket, the collarV or flange 9yresting. upon the margin of the tubular extension 5 (which constitutesthe socket) after which the hand section 6 telescopes the bulb, so thatits` threaded extension 7l will connect with the threaded interior ofthe Wall of the body section 5. In other Words the extension 7 of thehand' section engages.betweeny the outer Wall of the body section andthe tubular extension 5C. The hand section when so connected acts tohold .the bulbl inY position, by means 'of an internal flange 6a, whichbea-rs upon the collar or flange 9-and holds it against the niar- Thehand section hasvoppo'site openings 10 in its opposite side Walls, whichare closedrby glass or other transparent material 11 so that the lightfrom the bnl-bI can be readily seeny vfrom the front or from the rear.The body section of the arm indicator or signal is movable with atubular pivot 12 which' is mounted in bearings in the liront and rearwalls of the housing or casing, This tubular pivot' comprises theopposite sections which: are connected; tjo the opposite sides of theindicator or signal arm. One of the sections of the tubular pivot isprovided with an opening lthrough which the usual electrical conductors1:4:V pass-so as to` conneetl With the bulbV in the hand section.

rlhe pivoted end of the body section'of the direction indicator or armn@has integral therewith a projection or lug 15, Which'extends from.Zthegbody sectioni at an angle such as will! lpermit the arm or indicatorto be moved lon its pivot to a lateral position ,with relation tothehousing or casing. In order to move the arm to such a position, a

.Wil-e; ercable 16 is eonnected'ito the lug or projection andi' isl in:turn connected at 17 tof a short .arm 18 of a leverv 19 which ispivo'ted at20- on'` a quadrant and by moving` the lever over fthequadrant, a pulling action may be imparted to the Wire or cable 16 inorder to tilt or move the indicator arm or signal to a lateral position,which Will indicate the intention of the chauffeur to turn theautomobile'.

The quadrant 21 carrying the arm 19 is mounted or connected to thesteering column at Q2 belovv the steering Wheel by means of a suitableclamp 23. The quadrant has an arcuate portion over which the lever 19moves, there being shoulders Qet and 25 adjacent the opposite ends ofthe arcuate portion so as to limit the lever in its movenient. lVhen thelever is in contact With the shoulder 25, the circuit is open, but whenthe lever is moved, as shown in dotted lines to engage the shoulder 24;,the circuit is' closed, as there are contacts 2S, carried by the leverengaging contacts 27 of the arcuate portion or' the quadrant. One of theleads 0r conductors 14 of the4 bulb is connected to any suitable sourceof electrical energy such as a battery, While the other lead orconductor 14 is connected; to one of the contact-s 27. The other contact27 is in turn connected to the battery o-r other source o electrical.energy.

The lever 19 is provided With contacts'QB,

Which are carried by a conductor plate 29. f

T his conductor plate is insulated from the lever 19 by means of theblock of insulation 19a. The contacts 27 are insulated from the arcuateportion of the quadrant by means, of the insulation 30a. when the' lever19 is moved from its normal positionv to its operative circuit closingposition, the contacts 28 will engage the contacts 27 and close thecircuit, lthereby lighting' the bulb. 28 cooperate with the contacts 27and the circuit is closed, the lever moves the signal or indicator to alateral position extending from thehousing or casing. A gu-ide 30 iscarried by the arcuate portion of the quad-I rant and extends over lthelever 19, thereby guiding the lever and preventing` the lever from beingraised too high from the arcuate curved portion.

It is the aimv to employ the light carried by the hand section of theindicator at; night only and in such an instance, the switch-31 carriedby the lead or conductor 3.2ro1n the contact 9,7 to the battery may beopened,

It Willl be noted* that.;`

.At the sametime the contacts thereby preventing thecircuit from being-`closed When the lever is moved to an operative position.

The invention havin@` been `set forth,what i is claimed as new andusefulis 1. In a socket forl a; signal arm for altI-allie signal, having meansJfor actuating the arm, said arm comprising' a body section provided atoneV end with 'internal threads and a transverse disc Wall at the base"of the threads, atubular lamp socket projectingI from said wall andspaced from the internal threaded surface of the end of the body sec-CFI tion, an electric light bulb having its plug end provided With anannular eollarto en'- gage the margin of the wall of said socket Whenthe plug end of the bulb engages Within said socket, a vhand sectionhaving an extension connected with the internal threaded surface of theend o the body section and Vfitting around the Wall of the socket, saidhand section having an internal flange bearing upon they collar of theplug and hold-ing it upon the Wall of the socket7 and electrical meansfor lighting the bulb when the arm is actuated.

2. A lamp socket comprising in combination with a signal arm for atralic signal having means for actuating the arm, said signal armcomprising a body section provided With internal threads at one end anda transverse disc Wall at the base of said threads, a 'lampsocketprojectingazrially:

from-the Wall and spaced romthe internal threaded ,surface of the endofthe 'body section, a lampy `includin a' plug yengaging said socket, saidplugk aving an. annular collar engaging the margin `of the vWallfor` thesocket, a hand section pro-vided with an axial extension `engaging* they internal threads of the end of the body section and fitting around theWall of said socket, said hand section 'having ank internal shoulderbearing upon the 'collar of the Lplug to retain'V the lamp rigidly inposition, and electrical means for lighting the bulb When the arm is *Yactuated. c c y In testimony Whereofl hereunto ax my signature.

ANDREW C. roums.`

